Panama could retaliate for blacklisting by France, official says

PANAMA CITY, April 5 (Reuters) - Panama could retaliate
after France announced it would put the Central American nation
back on its blacklist of uncooperative tax jurisdictions, a top
government official said on Tuesday, amid a major leak of
documents from a Panamanian law firm.

Alvaro Aleman, chief of staff to President Juan Carlos
Varela, told a news conference the government could respond with
similar measures against France, or any other country that
follows France's lead.

"In the case of France, or any other country that includes
Panama on a gray list, the national government will have to
analyze the situation and take a series of measures, which of
course could include reciprocal measures," Aleman said.

"We are not going to allow Panama to be used as a scapegoat
by third parties. Each country (implicated) is responsible, he
added, saying the president had instructed the foreign ministry
to contact all of the dozens of countries implicated.

He said Panama was ready to cooperate in any investigations
stemming from the leaks, but stressed no Panamanian company has
yet been found to have committed a crime.

Following a massive leak about clients of Panama law firm
Mossack Fonseca, France's financial prosecutors opened a
preliminary investigation into aggravated tax fraud.
Mossack Fonseca has denied any wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Enrique Andres Pretel; Writing by Alexandra Alper
and Simon Gardner; Editing by Dave Graham and Grant McCool)